*The board reviewed superintendent Todd Burlingame's goals for the 2004-05 school year: (1) increasing his knowledge in school finance and being fiscally sound; (2) improving public relations with the board, administrative team, staff, students, parents, and community members; (3) promoting excellence in academic and co-curricular programming; and (4) recognizing students, staff, board members, parents, administrators, and community members for their efforts in education.

*The board approved a two-year lease agreement with the Minnesota Department of Administration, so the Department of Public Safety can hold motorcycle training in the middle school parking lot.

*The board approved hiring Terry Davidson as an instructional assistant for a special needs student who needs a one-on-one aide. She worked with the student last spring.

*The board approved hiring Becki Quade and Sarah Krueger as teachers for the Early Childhood Family Education program and approved hiring Diane Gilk, Kris Lang, and Tammy Neu as instructional assistants for the ECFE program. Their hours will be determined by the number of participants and the number of classes offered.

*The board approved adding an hour of special education aide time per day to instructional assistants Mary Heinen, Jeanne Olmscheid, and Bernie Roeser through March. Hours of instructional assistants had previously been reduced due to a cut in Title I funding.

*The board approved adding an hour per day to instructional assistant Barb Hanson as a morning substitute teacher caller. Hanson will handle the early-morning substitute calls for emergency illnesses. Principals and secretaries will still handle substitute calling during the day for planned absences.

*The board approved a resignation request from instructional assistant Trisha Engelke and approved hiring Laura Lindeman as an instructional assistant in the middle school for special education for 6.5 hours per day.

*The board was informed by Burlingame that the administration had talked with Paynesville Police Chief Kent Kortlever about ideas for making Homecoming safer, without reaching any conclusions. Board members offered several ideas to change the focus from interclass rivalry (leading to toiletpapering) to school pride, including changing the name to Bulldog Pride Week. The board asked administration to ask the student councils for additional ideas.